Arch-supporter.



W, O. WETMORE.

ARCH SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. 1914.

L1%5,58 Patented July 6, 1915.

L74- mm/ WILLIAM o. wsrnonn, or wasnmeron, DISTRICT or cenirivrsre.

ARCH-SUPPORTER.

t,lll t5,53t.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duty ti, 111915.

Application filed July 29, 1914. Serial No. 353,906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVVILLIAM O. l/VETMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in arch supporters, designed to be positioned Within a boot, shoe or the like for the purpose of supporting the arch of the wearers foot.

One object of the invention is the provision of an arch supporter comprising a flexible pad formed of tubing containing air or other fluid, and arranged to extend from the anterior portion of the, arch to the pos terior portion of the heel, the said tubing being arranged in substantiallyparallel equispaced relation, and con'imunicating at the proximal and distal ends, the said tube sections, constituting the inner section being carried beyond the arch section, terminating in a coil under the ball of the toes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a base of metal having a groove provided therein for the reception of the tubing, the said roove aiding in keeping the tubing in its proper position relative to the foot, whereby the air or fluid contained within. said tubing will be forced beneath the arch for supporting the same, upon the foot pressure at the opposite ends of said tubing.

Another object of theinvention is to arrange the pneumatic tubing to provide a pneumatic pad for disposition beneath the heel and arch, and so positioned that pressure upon the heel portion will force air or fluid into the arch section.

A furtheixobject of the invention is to arrange the tubing so as to provide a pneuniatic pad under the ball of the toes and under the arch, in such manner that pressure upon the toe portion Will force the air or fluid contained Within the tubing into the arch section thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a supporter, such as above specified, which will raise an arch sunken by injury or isease, by pressure upon the heel and toe portions thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will conform to the anatomy of the foot, and to so arrange the positioning of the pneumatic tubing that about one eighth of the arch A-still further object of the invention is to simplify the manufacture and economize in the production of the above form of device, it being understood in this connection that I am not to be limited to the exact structure shown and described, but may resort to various minor changes in the specific details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the ad vantages of the invention.

fl'ith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, claimed and illus'tratergl in the accompany drawing form.- ing a part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of my improved arch supporter. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the upper side of the base plate. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pneumatic tubing removed. Fig. 4 is a si-s w tive view of the upper flexible plate. Fig. is a perspective view showing the underside of the base plate, and means for reinforcing the side flange thereof. l ig. 6 is a detail sectional perspective view taken through one end of the base plate.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by similar characters of reference through out the several views, the numeral 7 denotes in general my improved arch supporter'con sisting of a base plate 8 curved throughout its length and width to conform to the anatomy of a foot. The upper side of this base plate 8 which is formed of any suitable nonductile material is provided with a longitudinal countersunk portion or recess f), for receiving the flexible tubing 10, which will be hereinafter described in detail. This tubing 10 is held in said groove to prevent any undesired lateral movement thereof, in anv suitable manner and is concealed by an per flexible plate 11 formed from any at sired material, such as leather, cloth orv the like, for engagement with the underside of the Wearers foot, and which by its flexibility conforms to the shape of the base plate 8, and consequently to the anatomy of the foot.

The inner side of the base plate 8 is provided with an upwardly inclined flange 12 adapted to engage and conform t6 the inner side of the foot. This flange 12 gradually tapers toward its opposite ends diminishing in width, and terminating flush with .the plate upon which the same,

retaining this said flange in its proper ppsition relative to the base plate. The opposite ends of the reinforcing plate 13 are curved inwardly as at 15 to engage the bottom or underside of the base plate, to provide a margin to which the fastening ele ments 16 can be secured. One form of securing the plate 13 to the base plate 8 is to employ rivets which pass through openings in the reinforcing plate, and openings 17 provided in the base plate 8 adjacent the opposite ends of the flange 12, and within the countersunk portion 9 of the said base plate.

The tubing 10, above described, consists of a single length of hollow flexible ma-. terial 18 arranged at one end in a series of reverse curves'l9, constituting a plurality 'of substantially parallel lengths or tube sections 20 designed for positioning beneath the heel and arch of the wearers foot. The inner of the tube sections 20 is extended forwardly as at 21 and terminates in a coil 2:2 arranged beneath the ball of the toes.

It is a well. known fact that in standing or walking, one-eighth of a persons weight is supported by the ball of the toes while seven-eighth of the weight, or substantially that amount, is supported by the heel. I With this knowledge in view, the tubing is arranged so that seven-eighthsthereof or substantially that amount is positioned beneath the heel of the foot, while approximately one-eighth thereof is positioned beneath the toe, in order that'the necessary amount of.

air or fluid contained within said tube will be forced to support the arch of the foot. When fluid other than air is en1plo' ved ,the ends of the tube are preferablvclosed to prevent the fluid from leaking. from the tube, but where air is employed it is preferred that the end of the tubing under the ball "of the foot be closed and the other end.

opened. This permits the heel pressure to close the open end of the tubing in the act of walking, and the closed end of the tubing under the ball of the foot will prevent escape of the air from the tubing. Obviously, both ends of the tubing may be closed, when air is used, but it is preferable that the end under the heel be left open, so that the tubing will normally be completely full of air. If both ends are closed, and for any reason, the air is forced out of the tubing during the act of walking, it is likely that the air-'will be prevented from freely returning to the tube, thereby destroying its effectiveness. It is necessary, however, in order to prevent the air from being forced completely out of the tube during walking, to have. the end of the tube under the ball of the foot closed, it being immaterial, so far as the accompanying claims are concerned, whether the other end of the tubing is open or closed. In this last instance, the pressure of the heel upon the tubing closes the end of the latter or closes the tubing near the end thereof and prevents the air from escaping from said tube.

From the foregoing disclosures it will be manifest that an arch supporter is provided, that will fulfil all of the necessary require ments ofsuch a device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i- 1. In an arch supporter, a base plate, said base plate having a recess formed therein, and flexible tubing disposed within said recess and arranged for positioning beneath the heel, the arch and the ball of the wearers foot.

2. In an arch supporter, a base plate, flexible tubing upon said base plate, flexible nieans,' concealing the tubing. a flange formed upon one side of the base plate, and means for reinforcing the base plate and the flange.

3. In an arch supporter, a base plate curved to conform to the anatomy of the ,foot, said base plate having a recess formed in its upper side, flexible tubing arranged within said recess and positioned beneath the heel, the arch and the ball of the foot, a flexible member and retaining the tubing in position, a flange. formed upon one edge of the base plate, and reinforcing means secured to the base plate and engaging said flange.

4. In a device of the character described, a base plate, flexible means supported by the base plate for supporting the arch of a foot, a flange formed upon the inner side of the base plate and extending at an angle thereto, a reinforcing plate secured to the underside of the base plate and conforming to the curvature of the base plate, one edge of the reinforcing plate being curved to engage the flange for supporting the same, the ends of the reinforcing plate being ex-v tended inwardly toward the center of the base plate and fastening means passing through the inwardly extending ends of the reinforcing plate and said base plate.

secured to the base plate masses 5. in a device of the kind described, a

base-plate curved to conform, to the a atomy of the foot, flexible tubingfarrange upon said base-plate and disposed in a series of curves beneath the heel and arch of the wearers foot and extended at one end thereof beneath the ball of the foot, the end of the tubing under the ball of the foot being closed.

6. In an arch supporter, a base-plate curved to conform to the anatomy of the foot, flexible tubing Supported upon the base-plate and arranged in a series of curves for positioning beneath the arch and heel of the wearers foot, and a coil provided at one end of the tubing 'for positioning beneath the ball of the foot, the end of the tubing so positioned beneath the ball of the foot being closed.

7. in an arch supporter, a base plate having a recess provided therein, a flexible tubing disposed in said recess and arranged in a series of reverse curves for positioning beneath the heel and arch of the foot, and a coil at the opposite end of said tubing having a closed extremity in communication with the series of reverse curves, whereby the portion of the tubing positioned beneath the arch will be expanded upon pressure upon the ball and heel portion of the tubing or upon pressure exerted simultaneously upon. the heel and ball portions of the tubing.

8. In an arch supporter, a base plate, a

flexible tube mounted upon said base plate and arranged at one end thereof in a series of reverse curves for positioning beneath the heel and arch of the foot of the wearer, and formed at its opposite end in a coil closed at its end and arranged for positioning beneath the ball of the foot, said tube being so constructed that substantially seven-eighths thereof will be positioned beneath the heel, while substantially one-eighththereof Will be positioned beneath the ball, said coil and reverse curves being in communication, whereby that portion of the tube positioned beneath the arch, will be expanded upon the heel pressure upon said tube or upon simultaneous heel and toe pressure upon the tube.

9. An arch supporter comprising a baseplate curved to conform to the anatomy of the foot, and a yielding fluid retaining cushion-associated therewith and having a portion arranged to lie beneath the heel of the wearers foot and extended to lie beneath and terminate at. the arch of the foot, the

arrangement being such that pressure upon I the first-named portion by the heel of the foot displaces the fluid contents thereof into the extended portion of the cushion and traps the fluid contents therein to expand such portion, for the purpose described.

10. An arch supporter comprising a baseplate curved to conform to the 'anotomy of the foot, and a yielding fluid retaining cushion associated therewith and having a portion arranged to lie beneath the heel of the wearers foot and extended to lie beneath.

and terminate at the arch of the foot, said cushion having another portion in communication with saidfirst-named portion and arranged to lie beneath the ball of the wearers foot, the arrangement being such that pressure upon the first-named portion by the heel of the foot displaces the fluid contents thereof into said extended portion of the cushion and traps it therein to expand such portion, and pressure upon the secondnamed portion by the ball of the foot displaces the fluid contents thereof toward the first-named portion of the cushion, for the purpose described.

11. An arch supporter cdmprising. a baseplate, fluid-retaining tubing associated therewith and arranged in two sets of convolutions, one of said sets arranged to lie beneath the heel and arch of the wearers foot and the other set arranged to lie beneath the ball of the wearers foot, the arrangement being such that pressure upon the first- 

